BumperScan
Powered byNHTSA|EPA|Community Reports
Your report: 3 of 4 steps complete75%
Car identifiedData collectedBasic analysisFull AI analysis

Free Preview

#BS-1997-DODAVE-7F95

1997 Dodge Avenger

Based on reports from 109 owners and 6 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
109
Crashes
18
Fires
0
Recalls
6
TSBs
72
🟢

Preliminary Verdict

Proceed with Caution

Based on 109 complaints, 18 crashes, 0 fires, and 6 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

stuck in gear

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX
2

engine stutters when giving it gas

1 complaints • Severity 6/10

$X,XXX
3

airbag failed to inflate in accident

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

Each card shows a real sample from your report — unlock all 10 sections from $1.20

Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball JointHIGH

11 owners reported suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint issues — failures commonly reported around 96K miles.

!Inspect the Air Bags:frontalMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

1
0–30K
1
30–60K
3
60–90K
9
90–120K
6
120–150K
150K+

Peak failure range: 90–120K miles (9 reports) • Median: 96K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint (11 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint11 (10%)
Air Bags:frontal10 (9%)
Wheels & Tires7 (6%)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc5 (5%)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor4 (4%)
Suspension4 (4%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline4 (4%)
Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Ball Joint4 (4%)

1997 Dodge Avenger: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint Issues

Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 1997 Dodge Avenger, with 11 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 96,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 96K-mile mark.

Air Bags:frontal Issues

Air Bags:frontal complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 1997 Dodge Avenger, with 10 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to air bags:frontal-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Wheels & Tires Issues

Wheels & Tires complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 1997 Dodge Avenger, with 7 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to wheels & tires-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc Issues

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 1997 Dodge Avenger, with 5 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

12
00
25
01
13
02
1
03
16
04
6
05
2
06
1
12

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1997 Dodge Avenger. Recent trend: decreasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

Get Report — From $1.20

Recall History (6 recalls)

00V421002May 2001

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE RUBBER BOOTS ON THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION WERE DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY, DIRT AND WATER CAN INTRUDE. ALSO, MMC HAS ADDED THE POTENTIAL OF LEAKING MOISTURE, WHICH CAN CAUSE THE BALL STUD TO CORRODE.

06E064000

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

CERTAIN TRADESONIC COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

07E055000Nov 2007

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

CERTAIN AIRTEX FUEL PUMP MODULE ASSEMBLIES, P/N E7081H, SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE WALL OF THE FLARED FITTING OF THE FUEL PUMP IS NOT THICK ENOUGH TO PREVENT THE MATING THREADED FITTINGS FROM BOTTOMING OUT BEFORE AN ADEQUATE SEAL IS ACHIEVED. THIS CONDITION MAY RESULT IN LEAKAGE OF FUEL AT THE CONNECTION OF THE VEHICLE FUEL LINE AND THE FUEL PUMP MODULE ASSEMBLY.

09E012000May 2009

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

09E025000Jul 2009

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

+ 1 more recall in the full report

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

Unlock

The worst model year for the Dodge Avenger is the 2012 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is transmission.

1997 Dodge Avenger vs. Class Average (Compact Cars)

This vehicle

109

Class avg

198

Below the class average — fewer complaints than typical compact cars vehicles. A good sign.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 109 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 6 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Dodge Avenger Model Years

201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004200320022001200019991998199719961995
View all Dodge Avenger years →

1997 Dodge Avenger: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1997 Dodge Avenger?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1997 Dodge Avenger is related to the suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint, with 11 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1997 Dodge Avenger reliable?
The 1997 Dodge Avenger has 109 complaints, 18 crash reports, and 0 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is below the class average — a positive sign for reliability.
How much does it cost to fix 1997 Dodge Avenger problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 1997 Dodge Avenger have any recalls?
Yes, the 1997 Dodge Avenger has 6 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Dodge Avenger problems start?
Based on 20 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 96,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 90–120K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
RaccoonEagleRoverCat

Get the Full 1997 Dodge Avenger Report

10 sections of AI analysis based on 109 owner reports. Know before you buy.

Get Full Report — From $1.20Money-back guarantee
Instant delivery|One-time purchase|No hidden fees